However, the problems with United and Delta are that they were scheduling flights that they weren’t sure they would conduct and then cancel some if they weren’t booked full. Hopefully this practice of theirs will subside as the pandemic rules go away but I don’t trust them. I’ve been using Qatar with no problems and way better service.
Exactly! Delta has to regain my trust first and then we will see.
 
Currently, you can take 2 guests per card. That is going to change to no guests. The first “personal” card is $695 per year and the next three cards are $150.

You get Amex lounge access, Delta (when flying on Delta), Airspace, Plaza Premium, Escape and Priority Pass lounges.

Global Entry/Pre-check



“Primary” card benefits:

$200 a year airline incidentals credit.
$200 a year hotel credit booked by Amex.
$15 a month Uber, more in December.
$50 twice a year Saks Fifth Avenue.
$20 a month electronic entertainment credit.
Walmart+ service. 12.95 per month
Discounted Air and Hotels
Premium Hotel benefit.
Clear membership credit of $179 a year.

If you can make it work, the card is worth the price.
Thanks for the info. No I can not justify that annual fee. I really can’t justify the AA card fee now!
 
Oh OK. I thought the $37 was per gun case. That’s what I was charged going to PE from JNB. Thanks!
It is supposed to be per case not per rifle. There is also not supposed to be a charge for the ammo box but some get charged. Who knows as it changes every time!
 
Sounds good. I have 5 hrs in Dallas but I think we are gonna check thru to Harare if possible.
thanks
You can check through. Make sure you note which bag tag is the rifle and which is the suitcase with the ammo. Take 3 fully complete copies of the declaration for departure and return, extra copy of your passport, and if you can find a copier make a copy of your luggage tags. Since they have been short handed you may have to go out of security at DFW. We skipped the line and told them we had rifles to check in.
Have great trip,
Philip
 
Sounds good
yes 1 gun Case and 1 pelican box for my regular luggage.
Perfect, I’ll just check them thru to HRE.
I sure appreciate it.
I had to talk to Shawn at Gracy Travel about another issue today. After that conversation, I asked her opinion about the Qatar rifle procedures at DFW. Just to be safe, she recommends claiming bags in DFW and personally rechecking them with Qatar because that is the normal procedure with Qatar. She said checking them all the way through can confuse the Qatar check-in and gate agents due to all the rifle paperwork. She also said it is nice to personally see that they check-in your rifle and then Qatar will make sure it gets on the plane, instead of a possible snafu or misstep by AA.

I think either way can work and has worked. but perhaps Shawn is correct that the safest option might be to recheck directly with Qatar?
 
I had to talk to Shawn at Gracy Travel about another issue today. After that conversation, I asked her opinion about the Qatar rifle procedures at DFW. Just to be safe, she recommends claiming bags in DFW and personally rechecking them with Qatar because that is the normal procedure with Qatar. She said checking them all the way through can confuse the Qatar check-in and gate agents due to all the rifle paperwork. She also said it is nice to personally see that they check-in your rifle and then Qatar will make sure it gets on the plane, instead of a possible snafu or misstep by AA.

I think either way can work and has worked. but perhaps Shawn is correct that the safest option might be to recheck directly with Qatar?
Ok, thank you for that I appreciate it!
Makes sense for sure.
 
You will be flying on Delta and you do have some choices. Their business class is great but it is $10K so that is out for most of us. Now we are down to three choices. Economy, Comfort +, and the new Premium Select. I was set to try the Premium Select last year but as you may know the flight was cancelled and we went with Qatar. The Premium seat is reportedly very good but usually fetches about $3000. If you can get it for $2500 or so I would buy it. The Comfort+ is simply 4" of recline, 4" of more legroom, and priority boarding. I have only flown Comfort+ and feel it is worth it most of the time. ($200-400 Round trip)
Flying ATL to JNB early July on Delta Premium select. It cost $5000/ea when I bought the tickets in March I will let you know if it’s worth it when we get back. Thanks for your informative review!
 
Flying ATL to JNB early July on Delta Premium select. It cost $5000/ea when I bought the tickets in March I will let you know if it’s worth it when we get back. Thanks for your informative review!
Hopefully you wii not be disappointed, but Qatar business class may have been the same price or less
 
Flying ATL to JNB early July on Delta Premium select. It cost $5000/ea when I bought the tickets in March I will let you know if it’s worth it when we get back. Thanks for your informative review!
Buck I look forward to your report. I am at about $2500-2900 for Delta Premium Select if they want me as a customer. Qatar QSuite DFW-JNB was $4000rt last year and $4500 this year.
I really want to try Delta Premium and was booked on it for last year when they cancelled on us. I review all the Gun friendly options annually with my TA so that I can make the best decision for me and my groups.
Regards
Philip
 
I had to talk to Shawn at Gracy Travel about another issue today. After that conversation, I asked her opinion about the Qatar rifle procedures at DFW. Just to be safe, she recommends claiming bags in DFW and personally rechecking them with Qatar because that is the normal procedure with Qatar. She said checking them all the way through can confuse the Qatar check-in and gate agents due to all the rifle paperwork. She also said it is nice to personally see that they check-in your rifle and then Qatar will make sure it gets on the plane, instead of a possible snafu or misstep by AA.

I think either way can work and has worked. but perhaps Shawn is correct that the safest option might be to recheck directly with Qatar?
Technically Shawn is correct and that is good advice. I’ve checked through from AA twice now. The only issue is that you need some time to “check in” guns with Qatar and all the paperwork. You don’t really save any time either way. This is unless they go back to what we did last year of checking through and then just doing rifle paperwork at gate.
Philip
 
Buck I look forward to your report. I am at about $2500-2900 for Delta Premium Select if they want me as a customer. Qatar QSuite DFW-JNB was $4000rt last year and $4500 this year.
I really want to try Delta Premium and was booked on it for last year when they cancelled on us. I review all the Gun friendly options annually with my TA so that I can make the best decision for me and my groups.
Regards
Philip
Yes, I probably should of looked a little more but liked the 15 hour flight time. When I originally looked at the tickets it was $3500 but waited a little too long to purchase. last year I flew Ethiopian Air direct into Beira In their cloud9/business class. it was $5500 last year and a little over $8000 this year. It was nice and I would fly Ethiopian again, but my son is going and couldn’t justify $16000 in airfare. I have wanted to try Qatar and their Qsuite. i should’ve checked them. i would have definitely chosen the. Q suite for $4000.
 
I have no experience using the routes and airlines but one tip I have is ALWAYS search for flights using your "ingocnito" mode on your browser. If you don't the sites you use when searching for flights will not give give you the best prices or they go up every time.

This tip I have heard from multiple sources. It seems to work as I am currently looking at flights to Oz (JNB-SYD-BNE-MKY)
 
I think either way can work and has worked. but perhaps Shawn is correct that the safest option might be to recheck directly with Qatar?
This is exactly what I did in late April 2021. ATL to DFW, collect bags and re-check with Qatar, back through security, then DOH and JNB. Bags and rifles made it fine. I had to change terminals in DFW which was a pita with rifle case and bags.
 
ABQ DFW DOHA JNB, July 2021 - Claimed and rechecked the rifle case (only) at DFW. Also had to change terminal using the tram. Several Texas travelers asked me where the heck I was taking a gun case in the July heat. :)
 
I have no experience using the routes and airlines but one tip I have is ALWAYS search for flights using your "ingocnito" mode on your browser. If you don't the sites you use when searching for flights will not give give you the best prices or they go up every time.

This tip I have heard from multiple sources. It seems to work as I am currently looking at flights to Oz (JNB-SYD-BNE-MKY)
You are correct. I use Express VPN for this among other reasons. I’ve seen AA up the prices on me just from repeated searches. When I am researching routes primarily for the timetable I’ll screen shot the results so I can refer back to them without searching again.
 
This is exactly what I did in late April 2021. ATL to DFW, collect bags and re-check with Qatar, back through security, then DOH and JNB. Bags and rifles made it fine. I had to change terminals in DFW which was a pita with rifle case and bags.
Yes but much easier than changing terminals with luggage at ATL!
 
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Yes but much easier than changing terminals with luggage at ATL!
Since I've never had to do that in ATL despite 2.5 million miles with Delta, I'll take your word for it. But if that's the case, changing terminals in ATL with bags much really, really suck.

I have waited in ATL intl baggage claim for 90 mins to get my rifle case however. You do not want to be the only one arriving on an intl flight with firearms.
 
Since I've never had to do that in ATL despite 2.5 million miles with Delta, I'll take your word for it. But if that's the case, changing terminals in ATL with bags much really, really suck.

I have waited in ATL intl baggage claim for 90 mins to get my rifle case however. You do not want to be the only one arriving on an intl flight with firearms.
One time I changes from AA to Delta at ATL. I won’t make that mistake again. I had to get luggage and rifle then get on a bus that seemed so long that I could have been in FL by the time I got to my terminal. It was hard for me to find where to go at every turn. Man I love DFW! It may have stark white walls everywhere but everything just works.
Philip
 
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I flew Delta Premium Select in May and I paid DFW-ATL-JNB $3900 for 2 tickets for the wife and I and flew back Comfort +, premium select has more recline and more leg room and a larger tv screen than Comfort +.
Premium Select has nice headphones with dual pin jacks so your single pins will only play 1 speaker in yours. I would leave your personal ones at home. reline and leg room is better than Comfort + and has a leg support with a fold down footrest, I did not like that at all made it feel claustrophobic for me.
Depending on your group you can get side rows with just 2 seats compared to Comfort is 3 wide on the sides.
Comfort + As mentioned is 3 wide which worked for us as our son came 4 days later and we all took up a row on ride home. If you fly comfort + bring your own headphone as the ear bud style is Delta issue and for me 15 hrs is too long for those. Food is the same in both cabins.
On the trip home I had head up ass and didn't look around as last 3 trips were sold out both ways, I got up 3 hrs into the flight and 1/2 of the main cabin seats and 1/3 of Comfort+ was empty so everyone spread out so they could lay down and sleep the whole flight.
I got a good deal on the Premium seats but I thought comfort was a better deal than the premium as normal is $600-800 more than comfort.
Delta ticket counter on return in JNB was a little nerve racking as it took er 45 min to check us in and I have to pay overweight charge of R1200 gave her card she swiped it like 20 times, I asked if I needed to step into hallway to ATM and get cash she replied no, swiped another 20 times I gave her a Delta AMEX card same thing no go so she sends me to business off directly behind the ticket counter same thing eventually went and got the cash and we were on our way.
CBP in ATL was a little slow we declared our firearms and we flagged and escorted to the x-ray inspection room and told to sit and wait our turn, after a few minutes we were called up and guy asked where our luggage was we told him we had firearms and we were escorted straight there and not allowed to retrieve, he rolled his eyes and handed us back our passports and told to collect luggage and go to firearms room for boot spraying and clearing firearms boom 10 min whole flight was out of there.
 

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